Life Changing Experience!

I had never been out of the U.S. before in my life and knew no one else going on this study abroad journey, so needless to say I was extremely nervous to be taking such a leap of faith. In no time, however, my anxious feelings turned to pure excitement. I can confidently say that studying abroad through ISA was the best decision I have ever made and those five months I spent in Australia were the best five months of my life. I greatly admired ISA's service-oriented attitude and always felt that I had personal attention from the organization throughout my journey.

The group flight to Australia from L.A. presented the opportunity to meet other Americans in the program prior to even setting foot in Australia. ISA's cultural immersion program further boosted my comfort level in living abroad, which made my academic orientation at JCU even more rewarding. ISA's on-site staff was always willing to help with any questions I had and my on-site coordinator became a close friend as well. I absolutely loved the close community atmosphere of living in the international student lodge because it presented the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world on a daily basis. Many of the students I met while studying abroad remain my best friends to this day. I loved my classes and definitely encourage taking unique courses that would not be an option at your average University in the U.S. There are so many ways to get involved in University and community activities outside of the classroom. Furthermore, excursions and travel opportunities occur on a weekly basis.

I grew so much through my cross-cultural abroad experience and cannot speak highly enough about ISA's abroad programs. Aside from the amazing people that I met and amazing times I had throughout my travels, I also developed strong interpersonal, organizational, and independent working skills. Highlighting my personal and professional growth through studying abroad is extremely helpful in job interviews and can allow anyone studying abroad to excel in reaching their career goals. Even after returning home from being abroad, ISA remains close with its strong alumni network and always seeks to help its alumni reach reach their career goals.